Air-seal.



FERDINAND W. KROGH, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

AIR-snai..

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 5, 1909.

Patented June 13, 1911.

Serial No. 511,466.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FERDINAND W. KROGH, of San Francisco, California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air-Seals, whereof the following is a speciication.

My invention is intended more particularly for use with centrifugal pumps. In these pumps it is necessary to apply stuffing boxes to the shafts, ordinarily, for the reason that the suction is at the center, and any leakage of air at this point is to be avoided, as it would materially affect the perform-` ance of the pump, and might even break the priming, in the case of high lifts. For this reason it has been customary, not only to apply stuffing boxes to the shafts, but also to screw up the glands thereof very tight to prevent such leakage, and this has necessitated copious lubrication to overcome the friction engendered thereby.

It is the object of my present invention to seal up any orifices through which leakage could take place, by filling them with liquid, such as oil, which being automatically supplied to the shaft, is drawn into the orifices by the suction of the pump. By using oil for this purpose, I at the same time automatically lubricate the shaft.

In carrying out my invention I surround the shaft by an oil, or other'liquid, chamber, immediately adjacent to the gland, where a stufiing box is used, and in this chamber I place means for delivering the oil to the shaft near the desired point, and also means for directing the oil toward the desired point.

In the accompanying drawings, consisting of one sheet I Vhave shown my invention as applied to the stuffing box of a centrifugall pump.

In the drawings :--Figure 1 is a longitudinal section, showing part of a stuffing box with its gland, -and the oil chamber formed as a part of the gland, with the supplying means and the directing means in place, in elevation, the shaft being also shown in elevation. Fig. 2 is a cross section, taken at the line 2, 2, of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section, taken on the line 3, 3, of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows, and is a similar view to that of Fig. 1, but at right angles thereto,and shows the gland and a portion of the stuffing box.

Summary/.#Brieiy set out, 1 is the shaft of the pump. See Figs. 1, 2 and 3. 2 is the stuffing box thereon. See Fig. 1. 3 is the gland applied thereto. See Figs 1, 2 and 3.

4 is the vpacking in the stuffing box. See Fig. 1.

5 are the bolts for holding the gland. See Figs, l and 2.

6 is the oil chamber. See Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

7 is the cover to the oil chamber. See Figs. 2 and 3.

8 is the directing wings. See Figs. 1, 2

and 3.

9 is the ring for supplying oil to the shaft. See Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

10 is the oil in the chamber 6. See Figs. 2 and 3.

Detailed description-I will now describe Y the mechanism of the apparatus set forth in the above figures of the drawings, premising with the statement that where I use the word oil, whether in the specification or the claims, I do not necessarily mean the lubricant commonly called by that name, only, but include other lubricants and liquids which would perform the functions herein ascribed to and performed by the oil.

In these figuresz-l represents the shaft of a centrifugal pump by which the impeller of the pump is rotated. Such pumps are shown in my applications Serial Nos. 289,486 and 290,619 and in my Patent No. 805,019, and need not be further herein described. 2 is the stuffing box on the shaft, 3 is the gland applied thereto, by which the packing 4 is compressed about the shaft, by means of the bolts 5. Upon the gland, and, if desired, cast integral therewith and surrounding the shaft I place a chamber 6, which may be provided with a cover 7, applied to an open side thereof. The chamber is adapted to contain oil for lubricating the shaft where it passes through the gland and stuffing box. Upon one side of the chamber 6, preferably that opposite the head of the gland, are interior helical wings 8, which embracethe shaft in close proximity thereto. The function of these wings is to direct oil upon the shaft toward the gland and prevent it Working out of the chamber at the side opposite the gland.

9 represents a ring loosely strung upon shaft 1 and of a size lto hang down into the oil 10 contained therein. As the shaft revolves this ring rotates with it and carries oil up onto the shaft, which oil is drawn into the stufli'ng` box by the suction of the ini-1v peller of the pump. The oil thus carried up and delivered tothe shaftbythe ring,

is prevented from working away from the gland by the directing wings 8, whose angle issuch that oil thrown against them by the rotation of the 'sha'ft'is directed toward the gland.

The oil chamber being integral with the gland 'performsthe additional :function of maintaining the alinement ofthe latter and prevents any inequality in the-screwing of 'i thevbolts fromcausing the :gl-andfto bind on the shaft.

.I have :hereinabove illustrated my invention in its simplest form, andzhavenot thoughtv it necessary to showany modifications of it, Vthough such lwill be-xeasilymade and applied by the mechanic without-,further instructions `than yarefherein contained.

Having thus' described my invention, and believing -that :I Vhave made `a valuable improvenient in the art to which it pertains,

I claim l. In a centrifugal pump, a shaftprof vided witha stutling boxand a gland apchamber formed Yin said gland fand wings` plied thereto, in-combination :with .an oil in saidvchamber for directing'the oilto the shaft.

f2. In combination 'with the shaft of fa centrifugal pump, andthe stuiing lbox and gland applied thereto, ,anoil chamber adjacenttoethe .shaft,means on said` shaftfor delivering oil thereon lfrom `said ichamber, and means Yin .fsaidchamber 'for `directing said oil toward the gland.

. k3. In Acombination lwith the fi-shaft of -a` centrifugal pump, and the stuingfbox and gland ,applied thereto, an oilchambersur roundingthe shaft immediately ,adjacent-,toi the gland, wings in the chamber contiguousI to the shaft and ladapted tofidirect ithe oil toward the gland, and -a loose ring-,upon the shaft between said iwingsvand-the gland.

4. In Ycombination with the shaft of a centrifugalpump, and the stuffing box and gland applied thereto,'an "oil chamber sur- .rounding the shaft and formed integral with the gland, wings integral with said chamber on the inside thereof andcontiguous tothe shaft and adapted to direct'the oil towardthefgland, and a loose ring upon the shaft between said wings and the gland.

the :glandwand: in line therewith,-.and means on `said shaft for feeding-the oil thereon from said chamber, andaneansforf directing said'oil-towardthe1gland. Y

l7.111fcombination'with -the shaft of a centrifugal pump, and :the v'stri-fllig` box and gland f applied fthereto, `aan oil chamber surrounding '.,the f shaft :in line with .the gl-and, and A:means withinthe. chamber ffor ,feeding the,oil,therein toxthe-shaft, and means :for

f directing such oil towardthe gland.

8. In combination avith lthe shaft .of a

.eentrifugalrpumpfand the stutling box and gland `applied thereto, @an oil'A chamber surrounding the shaft-,adjacent to ...the gland, movable means on-saidshaft for delivering oil thereon. from said: chamber,.and stationary means .within said ychamber `.to direct said oil from y said shaft toward l1the gland.

In testimonythat I claim the "foregoing I have -hereto'-1set -my hand at :said San Francisco this26th' day of May, :1909.

ElFERDINAND KROGH.

In presence 'of- ALFPED -FUHRMAN,

S. BATES.

1 Copiesoftthis patenbmayibembtanedfolxve cents ,each,.by-eaddressng.the lommssionenof .Patentg Washington, 'J). .6. 

